"Only a fool can't change their mind," Joho says on his u-turn and working with Ruto
By Maureen Kinyanjui |
Since entering politics in 2004, the lawmaker has earned a reputation as a firebrand and direct shooter.
Mining Cabinet Secretary nominee Hassan Joho faced intense scrutiny during his vetting process when Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda highlighted a video in which Joho criticised President William Ruto, saying, "Myself I cannot work with Ruto, what will we be discussing?"
"During your preamble, you thanked His Excellency the president for nominating you, that is why you are here before this committee. You are in public for having said I don't ever dream of engaging with Ruto,..mimi niongee na Ruto niongee na Ruto nini?" she posed.
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"You will be sitting in a cabinet where he will be chairing, I would like to know how you will engage," Lesuda added.
The disclosure sparked a tense moment, with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula intervening to shield Joho from further questions about the controversial statement.
"You don't have to answer that, nominee," he said.
However, Joho quickly said, "Only a fool cannot change their mind".
Joho's position was one of the negotiated Cabinet slots following a deal for the formation of the Government of National Unity between President Ruto and ODM boss Raila Odinga.
He was one of Raila's two deputy party leaders of the ODM party alongside former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
However, they both resigned from the position ahead of the vetting process.
Joho pledged to rise above local politics and assist President William Ruto in uniting the country.
He assured the MPs that, if approved, he would concentrate on his mandate to serve the nation and avoid political distractions.
“I will make efforts to unite even those in Mombasa, I must help the president unite the country,” Joho said.
“I must rise above local, divisive conversations. Every Kenyan must be served equally so if there is anything I would do is endeavour to unite Kenyans even leaders…be rest assured, politicians have their space, and they can say what they say but I want to see a united Kenya,” he added.
Since entering politics in 2004, the lawmaker has earned a reputation as a firebrand and direct shooter.
The former Mombasa governor entered active politics in 2004 and became the Kisauni party chairman for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) between 2006 and 2007.
In the 2007 general election, Joho was elected as the Kisauni MP through the ODM party ticket.
He also served as an assistant minister for Transport in late President Mwai Kibaki's government.
In 2013, Joho ran for the Mombasa governorship and held the seat until 2022, successfully defending it in the 2017 polls.
The former governor won the 2013 election with 132,583 votes, while his closest challenger, Suleiman Shahbal, received 94,905 votes.
In the 2017 election, Joho garnered 220,576 votes to defeat Shahbal, who received 69,322 votes.
In the 2022 general election, he chose not to vie for any seat after being promised a cabinet position in the Azimio government.
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